Within two days, both of my cheapo floor jacks quit working. Same problem with each, bad "piston" in the pump. These two jacks are identical, 30 or more years old. "Beijing" stamped in the housing. The label is Hollywood Accessories, Compton, California. No such organization to be found by internet search. Jacks are model 649N. These have actually used very little, only occasionally and look like new. Never abused or overloaded. Harbor Freight sells similar as item 68783 for $29.99. Their pump looks to be different bore and they offer no parts for the pump. The original "piston" was probably a plastic with a copper ring to hold pressure against the bore. The plastic crumbled. The steel rod part of the pump piston is like new and has a ball end that fit into the plastic with the copper having a retaining ring to hold the two together. The copper enclosed the plastic. Probably I will just have to buy two more jacks. But has anyone here ever devised a homemade repair for such jacks?

Interesting on the patent. I plan to read about it.I knew that repairing these was a very long shot. Kmart has a similar floor jack for pennies under $20.00 through Saturday-- I discovered and bought one today. Right after I bought one at Walmart for a little under $23.00. Both lower cost than HF. But some pruners I bought recently were lower price at Lowes than at Walmart. The Internet really helps with price shopping.Now what to do with the two bad jacks. Keep hoping for a cheap fix? I am not offended in the least at being called stingy.

The referenced patent apparently is for the shape of the unit and not for any particular functional part. Interestingly, apparently the same jack as WalMart has for $24.00 ( round money plus tax) is $34.00 (plus shipping) at JC Whitney. Price shopping can get what you want/need for lower expenditures. Look up the word "close" in the dictionary.

The floor jack from KMart was unboxed and used today. The load lifted today was less than 400 pounds. This jack is branded "GM Performance". It is much smaller size and lighter weight than the old ones that just had the pump failure.

Watch out for any of the nascar brand hi speed floor jacks. Son is heavy equipment mechanic and had several LARGE jacks in shop n service truck. While at the shop one day trying to jack up bosses pickup with a way to big jack,all they had , he commented to boss they nedded a smaller floor jack around . Boss jumped n service truck ran down town and picked up a nice new light weight floor jack. Son said it was cool racy colored aluminium lite weight NASCAR style fast stroke jack. He poked it under pickup gave it 2 pumps picked it right up, turned grined at the boss and THE SPRING LOADED NASCAR HIGH SPEED HANDLE RETURN SPRING SLAPED HIM IN SIDE OF THE HEAD WITH THE HANDLE. Said boss bought died laughin till he ripped it out n tossed it across the floor.

Glad I have my Hein Warner I bought in 1972. Put a kit in it a few years ago and it still is breaking back in- slow to drop without assist. Bought a USA made Milwaukee as a second jack. No Chinese junk for me when it comes to safety. This goes triple for jack stands. Taiwanese cylinders and seals are much better. Almost as good as ours.